Condensate disposal



y 8, 1957 P. KOMROFF ET AL 2,793,510

CONDENSATE DISPOSAL Filed Jan. 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2 g Q INVENTORS 3 Paul Komrof C gfl l1. er

y 28, 1957 P. KQMROFF ETAL 2,793,510

CONDENSATE DISPOSAL Filed Jan. 27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN ENTORS Pan omro Carl 1;. Tucker ATTORNE P. KOMROFF ET AL 2,793,510

May 28, 1957 CONDENSATE DISPOSAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 27, 1956 INVENTOR5 Baud I&omro ff (av-Z L, Tucke laplrlppli United States Patent CONDENSATE DISPOSAL Paul Komrotf, Union, and Carl L. Tucker, Clifton, N. L, assignors to Quiet-fleet Manufacturing Corp, Newark, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 27, 1956, Serial No. 561,749

15 Claims. (Cl. 62-140) The present invention relates to air conditioning, and

more particularly to the disposal of condensate from the evaporator of a room air conditioner. 7 One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of elements in a room air conditioner for lifting and distributing condensate from the evaporator onto the surfaces of a condenser for evaporation in the stream of air flowing therethrough. Another object is to produce a uniform distribution of condensate on the condenser, and especially when the fan is not located centrally with respect to the condenser. Still another object of the invention is to provide a condensate disposal means which is of simple and compact construction, adapted for economical manufacture, and one which is reliable in operation.

These and other objects will become more apparent from the following description and drawings, in which like reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and not a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being bad for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawing:

1 is a plan view of a room air conditioner incorporating the condensate disposal means of the present invention, and illustrated with the top of the Outer shell or weather casing removed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. l to show the relationship of the condensate lift and distributing means; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3.-3 of Fig. 2 to show the channels in the .arcuate face of the lift through which condensate is propelled upwardly by the rotating ring;

Fig. 3a is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but illus- I trating another embodiment of the invention; V

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 to show the shape of the channels at the lower end of the lift; and,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view taken on line 55 of Fig. l to show the arrangement of the depending vanes of the liquid distributing means on the top wall of the condenser housing. i

Fig. 1 illustrates the chassis of a room air conditioner comprising a base plate 2 adapted to be slid into and out of the shell 3 constituting a weather casing or housing. Projecting upwardly from the base plate 2 is a transverse division wall 4 which cooperates with the shell or housing 3 to provide a forward air cooling compartment 5 communicating with a room or enclosure to be conditioned and a rearward machine compartment 6 communicating with the atmosphere out-side the enclosure. The air cooling compartment 5 is divided horizontally by a wall 7 to provide a lower chamber 8 through which room air enters the compartment and an upper chamber 9 formed by the wall and enclosing housing 3 through which the air leaves the compagtment. An evaporatorll) 'ice having vertically arranged parallel fins 11 is mounted on the base 2 in the lower chamber 8 in compartment 5 and extends throughout the entire width and heighth of the chamber. A filter 12 is positioned in front of the evaporator 10, and a centrifugal fan 13 located at the rear of the evaporator draws room air into the lower chamber 8 which passes through the filter and then in heat exchange with the fins 11 of the evaporator 10. The cooled air is delivered by fan 13 into the upper chamber 9 with sufficient pressure to cause it to flow forwardly through the chamber into the room or enclosure to be conditioned.

The machine compartment 6 encloses a condenser 15, a compressor 16, a condenser fan 17, and a motor 18 for driving both fans 13 and 17. Condenser 15 is mounted on the base plate 2 in front of an opening 19 in the rear wall of the shell of weather housing 3 and the condenser extends throughout substantially the entire width and heighth of the machine compartment 6. The compressor 16 is mounted on the base plate .2 at one side of the machine compartment 6 between the division wall 4 and condenser 15 and the fan motor 184 is mounted on the base plate at the other side of the compartment. A housing 20 encloses the condenser 15 and has a front wall 21, side walls 22 and 23 and a top Wall 24. The condenser fan 17 is of the propeller type which rotates in a circular opening 25 in the front wall 21 of the housing 20 to draw air from the atmosphere outside the en: closure being conditioned through louvers 26 in the side wall of the weather casing 3, and deliver the air into the condenser housing. The air under slight pressure in the housing 20 flows outwardly through the condenser 15 and opening 19 in the rear Wall of the weather casing 4. Thus, the air flowing from the louvers 26 to the housing 21} cools the compressor 16 and motor 18, and the air flowing from the housing cools the condenser 15.

Although not shown, it will be understood that the compressor 16, evaporator 10, and condenser 15 are connected to provide a conventional refrigeration system for evaporating a refrigerant at a low pressure and temperature in the evaporator to absorb heat from room air flowing through compartment 5, and condensing the refrigerant at high pressure and temperature in the condenser 15 to reject the absorbed heat to the outside air flowing through the compartment 6. During such a cooling operation, moisture in the air will condense on the surface of the evaporator 10 and the disposal of such condensate has always presented a problem. It has heretofore been the practice to deliver such condensate into the air stream flowing over the condenser for evaporation on the relatively hot surfaces thereof to aid in the rejection of absorbed heat by the cooling effect produced from the evaporation. However, the apparatuses previously used for disposing of condensate have delivered the condensate into the air stream in a more or less haphazard manner, with the result that more condensate would be delivered tosome portions of the condenser 15 than could be evaporated, while no condensate would be delivered to other portions of the condenser. This condition would be accentuated if the unit were designed so that the condenser fan 17 were located at one side of the compartment 6, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The unevaporated condensate then would either drip from the bottom of the condenser, or would be entrained in the air stream leaving the condenser as a spray. Such unevaporated condensate dripping or being sprayed from the air conditioning unit is a nuisance source of annoyance, especially when people walk under such an air conditioning unit located in a window of a building and overhanging a sidewalk. In addition to the condensate falling on people on a sidewalk, the condensate is apt to run down and deface the walls of the building.

In accordance with the present invention, moisture condensed from the air contacting the evaporator 10 is delivered from the cooling compartment to the machine compartment 6 where it is raised by a liquid lift above the condenser 15 and uniformly distributed onto the top thereof. To this end, condensate is collected in a pan 30 underlying the evaporator and the collected condensate is delivered through a pipe 41 to a well or sump 32 in the base plate 2 at the rear of the fan 17. The well or sump 32 is formed by depressing a portion of the base plate as shown in Fig. 2.

The liquid lift for raising condensate from the sump 32 comprises an arcuate guide member 33, see Figs. 2 to 4, having longitudinal troughs or grooves 34 therein and a ring 35 mounted to rotate closely adjacent the guide to propel condensate upwardly in the grooves. Guide 33 is attached to the side 23 of the fan housing 20 so as to position its arcuate inner face 36 concentric with the axis of the fan 17, except for the lower end portion 37 which is immersed in the condensate in sump 32. As illustrated in Fig. 3, four longitudinal troughs or grooves 34 areformed in the inner arcuate face 36 of the guide 33 which extend throughout the length of the guide except at the lower end portion 37 where the lands 38 between the grooves are tapered or incline outwardly from the arcuate face at a slight angle. Ring 35 is of larger diameter than the blades of the fan 17 and is attached thereto by brackets 39 for rotation therewith about an axis concentric with the arcuate face 36 of the guide member 33 and in alignment with the sump 32, so that its lower portion rotates through the condensate therein. The ring 35 has a flange 35a which is located closely adjacent to and overlies at least two of the grooves so that its rotation results in movement upwardly relative to the arcuate face 37 of guide member 33 and causes the condensate in the sump 32 to be forced into the grooves 34 between the inclined lower end portion 37 and flange of the ring. The condensate enters the lower ends of at least two of the grooves 34 at a slight pressure, and is carried up the grooves in separate streams by the frictional drag produced by the flange 35a of the rotating ring 35 on the condensate. It will be observed that only two of the grooves 34 may be utilized to lift condensate and the additional grooves permit end play of the fan shaft while insuring the lifting of condensate in at least two of the grooves.

Some of the condensate issuing from the upper end of the guide member 33 falls back into the air stream from the fan 17 in the form of drops, as illustrated in Fig. 2. At least a portion of the condensate, however, leaves the guide in longitudinal streams which impinge on the underside of the top wall 24 of the condenser housing 20. The condensate which drops down into the air stream from the fan is delivered onto the face of the condenser in front of the fan 17, and the portion delivered in the tangential stream tends to flow laterally along the top wall 24 of housing 20. The relative amounts of condensate falling into the air stream and delivered onto the top wall 24 of the housing may be regulated by varying the varcuate extent of the guide member 33.

If the guide member 33 extended through an arc of 90 from the;

bottom of the sump 32, the condensate would issue ver- 'tically, and if the guide member extended through an arc of 180 from the bottom of the sump, the condensate would issue horizontally. Thus, the limits of the arcuate extent of the guide member 33 must be between 90 and 180 from the bottom of the sump 32 and between these -two limits, the proper proportions of condensate delivered to the air stream and top wall 24 of the housing 20 may be obtained for any particular fan 17 and condenser 15 condenser 15 between its forward and rearward side, and a rearwardly extending horizontal portion 42 which overlies the top of the rearward half of the condenser. While the forward and rearward portions 40 and 42 may be considered substantially horizontal, they would be tilted rearwardly at a slight angle of, for example, 4, when the air conditioning unit is installed in a building to insure rearward flow of condensate away from the enclosure being conditioned. Thus, condensate delivered from guide member 33 flows laterally and in a slight rearward direction along the portion 40 of the top wall 24. The stream of condensate is then divided and guided in separate streams onto the top of the condenser 5 by a plurality of vanes 43 depending from the intermediate portion 41 of the top wall 24. The depending vanes 43 are arranged in spaced parallel relationship over a medial portion of the width of the top wall 24 at the rear of the fan 17 and each vane extends laterally away from the fan, as well as rearwardly and downwardly.

As will be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and 5, each vane 43 depends the greatest distance from the top wall 24 at the end adjacent the flat portion 40, and has its lower edge inclined laterally away from the fan, downwardly and rearwardly and terminates in a head 45 overlying the top of the condenser 15. The beads 45 constitute spaced drop formers from which the condensate is delivered onto the top of the condenser at spaced points. It will also be observed that the forward edges of the depending vanes 43 project into the path of the stream of condensate flowing laterally along the portion 40 of the top wall at progressively increasing extents from the vane closest to the fan to the vane most remote from the fan. The outermost vane 43 from the fan 17 is projected laterally at a forward angle relative to the fan, as indicated by the reference character 43', to define the path along which the streams of condensate flow on the portion 40 of the top wall 24. With this construction and arrangement of vanes 43 depending from the top wall 24, the streams of condensate issuing from two of the grooves 34 in the guide member 33 and flowing laterally and rearwardly along its path is intercepted by the forward ends of the vanes and divided proportionately for flow along the vanes to the condenser 15. The spaced vanes 43 provide separate lateral and rearward paths therebetween through which condensate flows by gravity but the condensate tends to collect on and to flow down the sides of the vanes and along the bottom edges thereof to the drip formers 45 from which it is delivered onto the condenser 15. In this way, the condensate is uniformly distributed over the surface of the condenser 15 to insure complete evaporation in the air stream before it leaves the air conditioning unit. Furthermore, the lateral distribution of the condensate from an off-center fan 17 insures a more effective use of the portion of the condenser 15 laterally from the fan.

In Fig. 3, the guide member 33 is replaced by a somewhat similar guide member 133. Guide member 133 has a single channel 134 into which the rotating ring 35 is nested. Channel 134 is of the order of one and one-half times the width of ring 35 so that a somewhat uniform space is provided between the edges and outer surface of the ring and the inner surfaces of the channel. Hence, during operation, the ring propels or, in one sense, drags the condensate up the channel. Member 133 is arcuately shaped and mounted similar to member 33, and the condensate distribution is generally the same as described above.

The invention contemplates that some structures and modes of operation make it unnecessary to provide a condensate sump 32, but the base plate 2 is fiat beneath the fan. With this arrangement, the condensate is still picked up by the fan and propelled upwardly along the channels or grooves, as discussed above. The invention also contemplates that the ring 35 may be replaced by other arrangements for handling the condensate with equivalent results." In". fact, the fan may bes'o eonstruc'ted and arranged that no slinger ring or other means is required, and acceptable results are still obtainable.

It will now bebbservc'd that the present invention provides improved structures and arrangements of elements for lifting and distributing condensate from the evaporator onto the surfaces of condensers. It will still further 'be observed that the present invention produces a more uniform distribution of condensate on'the condenser, even when the fan is laterally offset from the center of the condenser. It will still further be observed that the present invention provides a condensate disposal arrangement which is of simple and compact construction, adapted for economical manufacture, and one which is reliable in operation.

While a single embodiment of the invention is herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limitation in this respect, the invention is defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an air conditioner of the type having a compartment through which air from an enclosure to be conditioned is circulated in heat exchange with an evaporator therein, a second compartment through which outside air is circulated in heat exchange with a condenser therein, and means for delivering condensate from the evaporator to the second compartment, the combination with such an air conditioner of a liquid lift for raising condensate and discharging it above the condenser in a continuous stream, and a liquid distributor for receiving the stream of condensate from the lift and having a plurality of rearwardly extending depending vanes of progressively increasing length projecting into the stream for dividing it proportionately and directing it to spaced points along the top of the condenser for gravity flow downwardly thereon.

2. An air conditioner comprising a casing, an evap orator at one end of the casing and extending throughout substantially the entire width thereof, a condenser at the other end of the casing and extending throughout substantially the entire width thereof, a compressor mounted at one side of the casing between the evaporator and condenser, a motor-driven fan unit at the opposite side of the casing from the compressor between the evaporator and the condenser and located at one side of the center of the condenser, means for delivering condensate from the evaporator to adjacent the fan unit, a liquid lift at the side of the casing where the fan is mounted for raising condensate and discharging it in a stream directed laterally toward the opposite side of and above the condenser, and a liquid distributor for receiving condensate from the lift and having means for proportionately dividmg the liquid in the stream and directing it laterally and rearwardly in separate paths onto the top of the condenser at the rear of the compressor.

3. An air conditioner comprising a refrigeration system having a condenser, a fan for circulating air in heat exchange relation with the condenser, means for receiving water, a liquid lift for raising water therefrom and discharging it in a stream above the top of the condenser, said liquid lift being located to discharge the stream of water in front of the condenser at one side thereof and directing it upwardly and laterally toward the other side of the condenser, and liquid distributing means for receiving the stream of water from the lift and having guides intercepting the stream and extending rearwardly to direct the water in a plurality of separate paths onto the top of the condenser.

4. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 3 in which the liquid distributing means is in the form of a plate overlying the liquid lift and condenser to receive water from the lift and having depending vanes extending rearwardly and laterally to deliver the water onto the top of the condenser.

S. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 4 in which a housing is provided for enclosing the condenser, and the liquid distributing plate is the top wall of the housing overlying the liquid lift and condenser and inclined downwardly toward the latter.

6. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 3 in which the refrigeration system comprises an evaporator, and means for delivering condensate from the evaporator to said means.

7. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 3 in which the liquid lift is operated by the fan.

8. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 7 in r which the liquid lift comprises an arcuate trough extending upwardly from the sump and a ring on the fan rotating adjacent the trough for propelling water upwardly in the trough.

9. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 8 in which the arcuate trough of the liquid lift extends through an are greater than and less than 10. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 7 in which the liquid lift comprises a member having an arcuate face with a longitudinal channel therein, and the periphery of the propelling ring is located closely adjacent the arcuate face.

11. An air conditioner in accordance with claim 3 in which a housing is provided enclosing the fan and sides of the condenser for directing air from the fan through the condenser, the refrigeration system includes an evaporator and means for directing condensate from the evaporator to said means for receiving water, and said liquid lift comprises a member having an arcuate face with a plurality of longitudinal grooves therein extending through an arc of greater than 90 and less than 180 from the bottom of the sump and a ring mounted on the fan for propelling condensate up said grooves and for discharging it, and said liquid distributing means includes a plurality of vanes depending from the top wall of the housing and extending diagonally and downwardly and terminating in drop formers to guide the condensate in separate paths and deliver it onto the top of the condenser.

12. An air conditioner as described in claim 3 which includes, means for forming a sump which constitutes said means for receiving the water, and wherein said liquid lift is means attached to said fan and dipping into said sump during rotation of said fan.

13. Apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said liquid lift comprises arcuate means mounted upon the periphery of said fan and adapted to impart an arcuate movement to water which is received, and means forming an arcuate channel which extends upwardly and thence somewhat horizontally and along which said arcuate means moves during rotation of said fan whereby the water is moved or dragged upwardly along said channel.

14. In an air conditioner of the type having a compartment through which air from an enclosure to be conditioned is circulated in heat exchange with anevaporator therein, a second compartment through which outside air is circulated in heat exchange with a condenser therein, means for delivering condensate from the evaporator to a sump in the second compartment, the combination with such an air conditioner of a liquid lift for raising condensate from the sump and discharging it above the condenser in a continuous stream, said lift being so located as to direct said stream laterally of said condenser, and a liquid distributor in the path of said stream and having means to distribute the condensate in said stream proportionately and direct it onto the top of the condenser for gravity flow downwardly thereof.

15. In an air conditioner of the type having a compartment through which air from an enclosure to be conditioned is circulated in heat exchange with an evaporator therein, a second compartment through which outside air is circulated in heat exchange with a condenser therein, means'for delivering condensate from the evaporator to a sump in the second compartment, the combination with such an air conditioner of a liquid lift comprising a stationary member having an arcuate channel extending through an are greater than 90 and less than 180, and rotating means having an annular surface substantially parallel to the channel and cooperating therewith to form a flow path of relatively small cross section along which condensate is caused to flow by the References Cited in the file of this patent: J

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hart Oct. 25-{1949 Borgerd May 19, 1953 Andrews Aug. 25, 1953 

